I Love You, Forever (The Walking Dead)
by KellyDaniels58
Summary: BOOK 1 of 3: Carl Grimes had a best friend before the outbreak, and he lost her during that time. Her name was Madison Johnson. When Maggie, Glenn, and Daryl go on a run and meet a family of brown hair and brown eyes, it changes Carl's life.
1. I Love You, Forever (The Walking Dead)

**THE FOREVER TRILOGY**

I Love You, Forever _(book one, completed)_

Nine Months _(book two, completed)_

Forever _(book three, completed)_

 **DESCRIPTION**

Carl Grimes had a best friend before the outbreak, and he lost her during that time. Her name was Madison Johnson. When Maggie, Glenn, and Daryl go on a run and meet a family of brown hair and brown eyes, it changes Carl's life.

 **ALL RIGHTS RESERVED**

I do not own any of the characters. All characters (in exception for the Johnson family and any new characters you may read about) belong to Robert Kirkman, Scott M. Gimple, Frank Darabont, and anyone else involved in the making of AMC's The Walking Dead.


	2. THE FOREVER TRILOGY PLAYLIST

_**"What hurts the most was being so close and havin' so much to say,"**_ —Rascal Flatts: What Hurts The Most 

_**"Others who broke my heart, they were like northern stars—pointing me on my way into your loving much I know is true...That God blessed the broken road that led me straight to you,"**_ —Rascal Flatts: Bless The BrokenRoad

 _ **"So I dare you to let me be your, your one and only. I promise I'm worthy to hold in your come on and give me the chance to prove that I am the, one who can walk that mile until the end starts,"**_ —Adele: One and Only

 _ **"I'd go hungry, I'd go black and blue. I'd go crawling down the avenue...oh, there's nothing that I wouldn't do to make you feel my love,"**_ —Garth Brooks: To Make You Feel My Love

 _ **"Goodnight my angel, now it's time to dream. And dream how wonderful your life will be. Someday your child may cry, and if you sing this lullaby then in your heart there will always be a part of we'll all be gone, but lullabies go on and on. They never die—That's how you and I will be,"**_ —Billy  
Joel: Lullaby

 _ **"Where did I go wrong? I lost a friend somewhere along in the bitterness, and I would have stayed up with you all night—had I known how to save a life,"**_ — Grey's Anatomy Cast: How To Save A Life

 _ **"Nothing comes do I begin? Nothing can bring me peace...I've lost everything. I just want to feel your embrace,"**_ —Sara Ramirez: Grace

 _ **"That's my daughter in the water, everything she knows I taught she I say shetakes to she takes, she takes apart,"**_ —Loudon Wainwright:That's My Daughter In The Water


	3. Prologue

It's a beautiful summer afternoon in King County, Georgia. The sun is shining brightly from above and birds are chirping in the trees.

Two children laughed wildly as they chased each other through their backyards. They were playing tag, one of their favorite things to do together.

"You can't get me!" The four-year-old, dark brown haired little girl laughed as she ran away from the young boy.

The five-year-old boy smirked as he chased after the girl, a sudden thought popping into his head. "Maddie, wait! Stop!" He yelled. "There's a spider on you!"

The young girl came to a stop at the boy's words. A spider?! "What?! Where?! Carl, get it off!" She screamed in fear as she tried to shake it off of her. She hated spiders, and the boy knew that.

The young boy smirked and reached out and tagged her shoulder, "Tag! You're it!" He turned on his heel and ran away from the girl, laughing as he did.

The young girl frowned, for she had been tricked by her friend, "I'm gonna get you for that!" She shouted as she took off after the boy.

"All right, get on. I'll hold you up," The light brown haired man said to his daughter. David, Madison's father, and Rick, Carl's father, were at the park teaching their children how to ride a bike without training wheels.

"Okay," The now five-year-old Madison said as she climbed onto her powder pink flowered bike.

The young girl wanted to try again, although the young boy was protesting. "Carl, come on. You have to learn sometime," Rick told his now six-year-old son.

"But I'm just going to fall again," Carl said while rubbing his sore, probably bruised, arm. He had accidentally ran into Madison on her bike and fell down, and Madison fell on top of him.

"Carl you're never going to learn unless you try," Rick said. The young boy still wouldn't get onto his bike so Rick tried again. "Madison is waiting for you."

The young boy sighed. "All right." He walked over and climbed onto his red and black striped bike.

"All right, you both ready?" Rick and David asked their children. The two young, brown-haired children nodded. The two father's then gave their children a push and watched as they both started peddling, trying their absolute

hardest not to hit something or someone.

"You're doing it!" David exclaimed to the two kids who were riding perfectly without hitting anything.

"Great job! Now turn around and come back!" Rick told them.

The two children turned around and came back like they were told and did it without wrecking. When they got to their father's they got off their bikes. "We did it!" The two kids squealed in happiness as they pulled each

other into a hug, grins on their faces.

"Look how cute you guys are!" Melissa, Madison and Rosaline's mother, exclaimed as she smiled at the three children infront of her.

Seven-year-old Carl was dressed in a short sleeve tan button down shirt and pants. He had a brown belt and shoes with a brown sheriff's hat. He had a golden badge on his shoulder area and a plastic gun strapped to his hip.

He was going as a police officer for Halloween, he wanted to be like his father when he grew up.

Six-year-old Madison was dressed in a white dress that went a half an inch below her knees. It had a red cross on her left shoulder area and she was wearing white flats, and a nurses hat. She was going as a nurse for Halloween.

Five-year-old Rosaline, Madison's younger sister, was dressed in a pink ball gown that had silver sparkles and she wore a pair of pink flats. She had a pink crown and a silver star shaped wand. She was dressed as Glinda

The Good from her favorite movie The Wizard of Oz.

"Oh, I can just eat you all up," Lori said.

Carl groaned, "Can we go now, mom?"

"Let me get a picture first," Melissa said.

"Smile!" Lori said as she held up the camera to the three children. The children smiled as the camera flashed.


	4. Hospital

**Please enjoy this 'TheWalking Dead' story. I hope you love it. Feel free to leave comments and ask questions. And if you see anyerrorsplease let me know and I will fix it/them right away. Thanks!**

 **In this chapter, Carl is twelve and Madison is eleven.**

 **Please enjoy…**

—

The bell rang, signaling the end of the school day. Carl Grimes walked out of the school and waved goodbye to his best friend, Madison Johnson, and her little sister, Rosalyn, as they walked away to their mother who was waiting for them.

Carl looked around for him mother and spotted her by Shane, his father's best friend. And behind Shane were police cars.

 _Oh no,_ Carl thought as he walked towards his mother.

Lori met her son halfway and knelt in-front of him. She put her hands on his arms and looked up at him, sadness in her eyes. She didn't know how to tell her son his father had been shot. I mean how do you tell someone their father was shot, and especially  
when that person was only a child, a twelve-year-old boy.

"What happened?" Carl asked, automatically knowing something was wrong with his father.

"Honey, your father, he...h-he was shot," Lori told him, her voice cracking as an image of her husband laying on the ground, shot and blood pouring out of the wound, in her head.

"I-Is he dead?" Carl asked, his voice cracking.

"He's in surgery," Lori replied.

"Is he going to be okay?" Carl asked.

"We're going to find out. Come on, Carl," Lori said. She got up from the ground and grabbed her son's hand. She walked him to the car and together they drove to the King's County hospital in silence.

Rick Grimes laid on the white hospital bed in hospital gown with a blanket over the lower half of his body. He was pale. So pale that he looked like he should belong in a coffin under the ground. His eyes were shut as his breaths came slow and raspy.  
He was close to dying, the only thing keeping him alive was the medicine and all the wires he was hooked up to, and the thought of his wife and son being alone.

Lori and Carl stood by Rick's bed, the two stared at the pale man with sadness in their eyes as they cried silent tears.

Lori couldn't live without her husband. She prayed he would wake any moment and smile at her like he would all the time. He prayed he would wake and say her name, the way he said her name drove her crazy. His accent was...words couldn't describe how she  
loved his accent and him himself. She loved Rick more than life itself, she couldn't live without him.

A doctor walked in, Rick's doctor. The doctor wore a white coat and held a clipboard with Rick Grimes' information on it, "Mrs. Grimes?"

"Yes?" Lori asked.

"I'm your husband's doctor, Dr. Timothy Walters," He said.

"Hello," Lori greeted, "So, um…what's wrong with my husband?"

"From the amount of blood loss and where the bullet entered, he was put in a coma, and I don't know if, or when, he'll wake up," Dr. Walter told the dark-haired mother and son.

A sob escaped Carl's lips as he hugged his mother. Lori didn't hesitate to hug her son, she wrapped her arms around him and pulled him close. She was too sad about what she heard her husbands condition was.

"I'll give you some time alone,"Dr. Walters said as he turned on his heel, leaving the two dark-haired sobbing Grimes' alone in the room with their unconscious loved one.

—

 **Thanks for reading,KellyDaniels58**


	5. A Family of Brown Hair

_**A YEAR AND A HALF LATER /PRESENT DAY**_

Inside the rundown store, three people searched for supplies.

Among those three people was a woman with short brown hair that reached her shoulders and beautiful chocolate eyes to match.

The brown haired woman searched through the aisles of the store, a flashlight in her hand and a bag over her shoulder. She seen a t-shirt that was laid on the ground and checked the size. After thinking if there was anyonein  
her group that would fit into the t-shirt, she stuffed it into her bag and continued searching the aisles for needed supplies.

Her head snapped in the direction of a clatter of something nearby.

She cautiously took out her knife that was secured to her belt, and slowly walked toward the closet, for she knew that was where the noise had come from.

She stopped in front of the closet and slowly reached for the doorknob. When her fingers closed around the doorknob, she quickly wrenched it open and held her knife up, ready to take out the walker. But it was no walker. It  
/was seven people, and they all looked so much alike that they must have been a family.

The brown haired woman slowly lowered her knife, but kept it in her firm grip incase they tried to attack her.

"Are any of you bitten or scratched?" She asked the family in her Southern accent.

The woman that was inside the closet had brown hair that reached her shoulders and matching brown eyes, much like the one standing with the knife. She was holding a baby boy around the age of one, maybe even two, with the samebrown  
hair and matching eyes. "No," The woman said. She was the mother of the family.

"Daryl! Glenn!" The woman with the knife shouted, making some of the family members jump, for they weren't expecting the woman to yell.

At the sound of the one he loved yelling, Glenn Rhee dropped the package of band aids, for he was in the medicine aisles, and started running towards where he thought her voice came from. "Maggie?! Maggie, where are you?!" His  
/voice dripped with concern and panic for the one he loved.

Back where the woman, Maggie Greene, stood with her, footsteps neared her and the family in the closet.

A man, no doubt in his forties, ran to her side, his crossbow up and ready for action, his icy blue eyes wide and alert. As soon as the man, Daryl Dixon, looked into the closet he pushed Maggie behind him and raised he crossbow  
/to the family, making the father of the family stand in front of his loved ones. "I found 'er, Glenn! Dairy aisle!"

At hearing this, Glenn ran from the aisle he was in and toward the diary aisle to find the one he loved, his heart thumping in his chest so loud that he could hear it.

Daryl gripped his crossbow and narrows his eyes suspiciously at he family in the closet. "Who the hell are ya?" He asked them, his finger on the trigger of this crossbow, ready to fire when he needed to.

A father of the family stepped forward, his hands out in surrender. He, too, had brown hair and matching eyes.

"Watch it," Daryl warned, his finger pressed against the trigger as the father of the family took another step towards him and Maggie, who was still behind him for protection.

"Easy. _Easy_ ," The man said, his hands still out, showing he wasn't going to harm either of them, "My name is David. David Johnson. And this my family."

Maggie glanced over the family, seeing how dirty their clothing and skin was and how harmless they looked.

 _They couldn't—wouldn't, harm us...would they,_ Maggie thought.

Glenn reached Maggie and Daryl, out of breath. He immediately went to Maggie and engulfed her into his arms. "Thank god, you're alright," He sighed into her dark hair.

When Glenn seen the man, David, and his family, he put Maggie behind him and held his gun up in defense. "Who the hell are you?" Glenn asked.

"He said his name is David Johnson, and this is his family," Maggie informed him.

"This is my wife, Melissa," David gestured to the woman holding the baby, "And my sons, Jackson," He gestured to the teenage boy, maybe seventeen or eighteen years old, with dark brown hair and matching eyes, "and Michael,"He  
gestured to the young boy, no older than seven or eight, with brown hair and matching eyes, "and Joseph," He gestured to his last son, the baby in his wife's arm, he had brown hair and matching eyes, "And my daughters; Madison," He gestured tothe  
young girl, no older than thirteen orfourteen years old with straight brown hair and matching eyes, "and Rosalyn," He gestured to his other daughter, and final child, that had curly brown hair and matching eyes. She looked the same age as hersister.  
"We mean no harm...I promise," David said.

"I'm Maggie Greene," Maggie introduced herself.

"Glenn Rhee," Glenn introduced himself, his gun still trained on David.

"Daryl Dixon," Daryl introduced himself, lowering his crossbow, but still kept it at his side cautiously.

Melissa thought for a moment, then asked, "Do you have a camp?"

"Yes, w—" Maggie was cut off as Daryl interrupted her.

"Yeah, we gotta camp. Do ya?" Daryl asked, still not fully trusting them, although he knew they couldn't be that dangerous, for they had children, a baby.

"We live in an RV we found, so no, not really," David replied. David only wanted what was best for his family, and he had a feeling he could trust these three people before him, so he asked, "Could we maybe come to your camp?"

Glenn and Daryl shared a look. "Daryl?" Glenn asked.

Daryl thought for a moment. "We need ta ask ya three questions first."

"Sounds fair enough," David said.

Daryl nodded and began asking his questions. "How many walkers have ya killed?"

 _What kind of question is that? I'm sure he killed more than I have,_ David thought.

"Um...I don't know, too many to count," David replied.

"How many people have ya killed?" Daryl asked.

David sighed. _If I told them how many, would they let us join their group?_ "Two," Hereplied.

"Why?" Daryl asked, narrowing his eyes at the man, looking deep into his eyes to see if he were lying or not.

"They tried to kill me and my family. I did it to protect them," David replied honestly.

Daryl eyedthe man carefully, then, with a nod, stuck his hand to David. "Welcome ta the group," He said in his ruff Southern accent.

David breathed a sigh of relief and shook Daryl's hand, a thankful grin on his lips as he looked at the three people before him. "Thank you! You have no idea how much this means to us."

After telling the Johnson family that they needed to finish looking for some supplies, the Johnson's agreed to help them. They split up into groups of three to search easier.

The first group, Glenn, Michael, and Jackson, were to search for medicine.

The second group, Daryl, David, and Rosaline, were to search for food and water.

And lastly the third group, Maggie, Melissa, Joseph, and Madison, were to look for clothes and other needed supplies.

"So, um, what's your camp like?" Melissa asked, shifting her son, Joseph, onto her other hip as her, her daughter Madison, and Maggie walked down one of the aisles of the store.

"It's great. We have food, water, and showers," Maggie replied.

"Showers?" Melissa grinned.

Maggie turned back at her and smiled. "Yeah, it's all warm water though, but at least it's something. We connected a pipe from the creek to the bathrooms."

"Wow," Madison said in awe.

"And there's so much open space, and other children there as well," Maggie said. Maggie noticed something around the young girls neck, something the girl was twirling in her small, delicate fingers. It was a gold locket with  
/a beautiful 'M' engraved on it, "That's a beautiful locket," Maggie commented.

Madison glanced down at her locket with a sad expression on dirt-covered face. "Thank you, my best friend got it for me on my birthday."

"Oh...I'm so sorry," Maggie said, looking at the girl with much sympathy. No child should lose their best friend, or their family.

Madison looked up from her locket and gave the woman a confused look. "Why are you sorry?"

"You looked sad when you said best friend I assumed she is dead, your best friend I mean," Maggie said, turning the corner to go down the next aisle.

" _He_ ," Madison corrected her, "My best friend was a _he_. And I don't know if he is dead or alive."

—

 **Thanks for reading,KellyDaniels58**


	6. Everybody Loves Judith

**Carl's POV**

"Carl," A voice said.

I opened my eyes and groaned. I didn't want to be awake right now. I looked to the doorway and found my dad standing in with Judith in his arms. "Good morning. I'll be outside," He said. He then walked away, leaving me alone  
in my cell.

I sighed and threw my blanket off of my body and got up. I put on some jeans and button down shirt and walked out of my cell. I walked down the stairs and out of the cell block.

I passed several people as I made my way to my dad, who was in the crops. When I reached him he handed me a bucket and we started our usual routine.

I heard a car driving down the dirt path and looked over. Daryl was on his motorcycle and Maggie and Glenn were in the car behind him. They must be going on a run. I sighed sadly. If only I could be going on a run.

I sat with Judith in my arms out on the bleachers by 'A' block. I heard footsteps walking towards me and soon Daryl came into view. "Hey, Daryl," I greeted.

"Hey, Carl," Daryl said. He walked over and sat down beside me. Judith giggled and clapped, making the two of us chuckled. "Hey there lil' asskicker," Daryl said. I smiled at the nickname he had given my baby sister.

"Hey, Carl!" Glenn called. I glanced over in his direction. "Your dad wants you in 'C' block!"

I sighed and stood up, Judith still in my arms. "I'll take 'er," Daryl offered. I nodded and handed her over. Daryl loved Judith. Everyone did.

I walked passed the grilling area and into Cell Block 'C' where my dad said he wanted me. I walked down the dark, slightly lit hall until finally I came to the Cell Block 'C'.

"Dad, Glenn said you needed me?" I called out. I looked up from the ground and immediately froze in my spot.

 **Thanks for reading,KellyDaniels58**


	7. Shane

**A YEAR AND A HALF EARLIER...**

Lori and Carl were sitting at their dinning room table in their home playing cards. They were trying to get their minds off of Rick for the moment, they couldn't think about how he was in a coma and would probably never come back right now, they just couldn't.

All of a sudden someone ran through their front door and ran into the kitchen where they sat. "Lori! Carl! Go pack, now!" It was Shane, Rick's best friend. He sounded panicked, which made Lori and Carl stand up from their chairs in alarm.

"Shane, what's happening? What's wrong?" Lori asked, panicked and scared at how Shane was looking.

"Carl, go pack," Shane told the young boy.

"What? Why?!" Carl asked, his voice full of panic. He was scared. He was scared because his father could die at any moment and he was scared because Shane was acting strange, panicky and scared.

"Just go pack, Carl! I'll explain in the car," Shane said.

"Carl, go," Lori demanded. Carl ran up the stairs leaving his mother and his father's best friend alone. After Carl had completely disappeared from the downstairs Lori turned to Shane and asked, "Shane, what's happening?"

"Rick's dead, I was at the hospital visiting him and he was dead. Military came—" Shane began to explained, until Lori interrupted him.

"Rick's dead?! What do you mean Rick's dead?!" Lori asked. Tears began to fill her brown eyes as she stared at Shane for an explanation.

Shane ignored the question and continued talking, "...and started killing people, then the military—"

Lori interrupted him again, "Shane! What about Rick? Is he really dead? Is my husband really dead?" Tears fell from her brown eyes and slid down her cheeks.

"Yes, he is. Lori, I'm so sorry, but we have to go okay? We have to go now," Shane said.

"Why? What is happening?" Lori asked.

"I'll explain in the car, now just go pack al lright?" Shane said. Lori nodded and ran off to pack.

When Lori and Carl finished packing they put everything in the car. Carl turned around and looked at the house next door, Madison's house. He had to get her. He had too. He turned to run but Shane was faster and grabbed his arm. "Carl, get in the car," Shane told him.

"No, I have to get Maddie!" Carl said as he fought against Shane, but Shane wouldn't budge.

Shane didn't know what to tell the young boy. Shane only wanted Carl and Lori to be safe and get in the car so they could leave. So Shane said the first thing that came to his mind, "Carl, she's dead! I saw it myself. I'm sorry, but we have to go." He put Carl into the car and told Lori to follow him.

Carl was frozen at Shane's words: "Carl, she's dead! I saw it myself." Carl couldn't speak or hear. He felt like he couldn't breath.

His best friend...is _dead_.

—

 **Thanks for reading, KellyDaniels58**


	8. Anger

**_PRESENT DAY..._**

 **Carl's POV**

I felt anger surge through my veins, spreading throughout my entire body like wildfire. That moment flashed through my head. That moment when Shane told me, and I quote, Carl, she's dead! I saw it myself.

She is dead.

My best friend...is dead, yet she is here. She is here, in person, in Cell Block 'C', sitting beside her family right in front of my eyes.

Shane lied to me.

Shane told me that my father and Madison were dead, yet they are both with me now. Was I imagining her right now?

"Carl?" A soft voice asked. She was really here. She was really alive. My best friend is alive.

She was just like how I remembered, yet a little different. Her face matured and her features sharpened, yet softened at the same time. Her smooth skin was a little pale and was covered in dirt and a little dry blood. She was skinnier, no doubt from the lack of food these days. Her freckles that were under her eyes and on her nose had lightened to a tan color now. Her usual long, straight, dark brown hair that flowed down her back was still the same as I remembered. Her eyes, they're still the same chocolate brown. Her lips the same pink shade and she looked taller, but still maybe three inches shorter than me. She as wearing a pair of dark jeans, a purple t-shirt and a gray jacket with black sneakers. And around her neck...around her neck was the locket I got her birthday. It had a picture of the both of us in it. I used to have a picture of her as well, but I lost it when all this started.

"Madison?" I breathed.

"Oh, Carl, I missed you so much!" Madison exclaimed. She got up from where she sat beside her mother and ran towards me. She wrapped her arms around me and I didn't hesitate to wrap my arms around her, pulling her close.

"I can't believe you're here," I whispered into her soft, brown hair. I could feel her smile against my shoulder.

After a few minutes of standing in each others arms, I pulled away. She blushed when she noticed everyone was looking at us. Everyone looked confused as to how I knew Madison, well except my dad and her family.

"So, Carl, this your girlfriend or something?" Glenn asked, a smirk on his lips. Maggie smacked his arm, ordering him to be nice. Madison blushed even more and walked back to her seat next to her mom.

I shook my head. "No, she's my best friend." Madison and her family took up a whole table so I sat next to Maggie.

"So Carl's the boy best friend you told me about?" Maggie asked.

"Yeah," Madison nodded.

"Where will they sleep?" Maggie asked, turning to my dad.

"We have three available cells here in Cell Block 'C'," Glenn pointed out. "They can have those."

"Thank you," Mrs. Johnson said.

"I'll show you to your cells so you can put your things away while I make some food," Maggie offered.

They nodded and followed Maggie out of the room. Glenn got up saying it was his turn for watch in the tower and dad left to return to the crops, bringing me with him.

—

 **Thanks for reading, KellyDaniels58**


	9. Story Time

**_SIX MONTHS LATER..._**

 **Carl's POV**

It's been six months since Daryl, Maggie, and Glenn brought Madison and her family back from that store. They're all like family here at the prison. They fit in perfectly.

Ever since I've gotten Madison back in my life, I've been happier. Glenn's been making comments that I've been smiling a lot more and apparently I have light in my eyes that shows I'm overjoyed about her and her family being in my life again. Which I was.

Speaking of Glenn. He proposed to Maggie that day before The Govenor and his army came six months ago. They didn't tell any of us until a week after. I'm happy for Glenn and Maggie. They're really in love with each other. Anyone can see that it—its not hard to miss. Glenn had actually thanked me after they announced they were married or engaged, whatever you want to call it. He said, and I quote, If it wasn't for you getting shot I would have never of met Maggie. So thanks. We had a good laugh with that. That was the first time someone ever thanked me for getting shot and almost dying...and it is probably the last.

Beth and Madison's older brother, Jack...I think they have a thing for each other. They're always talking and I swear they're always flirting with each other. And whenever Madison teases Jack about it he blushes, stutters, then walks away. You can easily tell they like each other.

Daryl and Carol are finally together! No I'm just kidding...Daryl and Carol have yet to admit their feelings for each other. I hope they do soon because it's awkward when they start flirting with each other, especially if your sitting in between them...sadly I was stuck in that seat between them a week ago. Madison and Glenn were smirking at me the whole time from across the table.

And my dad, he has fully healed over my mom's death. I mean of course he misses her, but he isn't like he was when she first died. He's better now.

Michonne is still looking for The Governor. She hasn't found anything yet though—his trail went cold. I know she's mad at The Governor for killing Andrea and attaching us but she shouldn't be out there...it's dangerous. She's part of our family and none of us want her to go out there. We want her to stay here where it's safe.

I picked up my shirt from my bag and put it on and walked out, glancing at my hat as I left. I don't wear my hat anymore. Not since five and a half months ago when The Governor attacked and I shot one of people in the woods. Madison was shocked when I did it, many were, but I don't get why. I mean, I did it because I was protecting my group...my family. And Hershel told my dad that I shot him in cold blood...that I gunned him down, so my dad took away my gun a week later and now I've been a farmer for five and a half months.

I walked down the yard and towards the pigpen where my dad was. "Hey! You didn't wake me up."

"Well I thought you could use the sleep since you stayed up all night reading comics," Dad replied.

I looked down at Violet, Saphire, Danny and Benny, the pigs that we named. And by we, I mean Rose, Michael, Madison, and I. Violet was just laying there in the mud. "What's wrong with Violet?"

"Carl," Dad sighed, turning towards me. "What did I say about naming them? They're not pets, they're food."

"Sorry, I just thought until—sorry."

"I don't know what's wrong with her. I think she's sick. Feel better, Violet," Dad said.

Both our heads snapped in the direction of a whistle. Michonne.

We looked down by the gates and seen Michonne on her horse, riding towards the prison. I smiled. She's been out for over a week! Dad and I ran down and opened the gates. When she was inside the gates we quickly closed them so walkers wouldn't come in. We turned around and walked over to her as she was getting off her horse.

"Hey," I greeted.

"Hey," Michonne greeted. "I got something for you." She pulled out about a dozen comic books from her bag and handed them to me. "I found them in a store. I thought of you when I seen them."

"Thank you," I smiled.

"You're welcome and I get to read them when you're done." Michonne said. "Oh and I got this for Maddie. I know she said it she loves to draw." She pulled out a notepad and a few pens and pencils. Madison loved to draw, she was actually very talented.

"She'll love it," I said.

"You staying?" Dad asked.

"Yeah, I like it here," Michonne nodded. Michonne and my dad walked over to the stables with the horse, so I made my up to the prison to put the comics in my cell and art supplies in Rose and Madison's cell.

"Hey, I said, walking towards Patrick who was kicking around the soccer ball that Michonne found a while ago.

"Hey, you ready to play?" Patrick asked.

"Yeah," I nodded. We kicked it back and forth and talked for a while until I seen Madison, Rose, and a few kids down by the fences. They were yelling things and pointing to walkers, but Madison and Rose stood behind starring at them.

"What are they doing?" Patrick asked.

"I don't know," I shrugged. "Let's go." I walked towards them and as I got closer I could hear them yelling names to the walkers. Human names.

"Hey, Nick! Nick!" Lizzie yelled.

"Are you naming them?" I asked.

"They're people too, they have names," Lizzie replied.

"What the hell are you talking about? They're dead. They eat people. They would eat you if you were out there." I said, sternly. "Don't name them."

"Carl!" Madison exclaimed. I ignored her.

"All right why don't we all go to story time? Carol should be starting soon," Rose suggested as she pulled the four kids away from the fences.

"You coming to story time Patrick?" Mika, Lizzie's little sister, asked.

"Yeah," Patrick nodded. I turned and looked at Patrick, shocked that a boy two years older than me was going to story time. He noticed the look I was giving him and said, "Hey, there's nothing to do okay," He turned on his heel and walked away leaving me and a furious looking Madison alone.

"Carl, you should apologize to them," Madison said.

"No. I'm not apologizing. I didn't even do anything," I defended.

"Carl—"

In interrupted her. "No. They shouldn't be naming them. They're dangerous."

"I know they're dangerous, and I agree, they shouldn't have been naming them, but you didn't have to yell at them," Madison said.

"Yes I did. Nobody else would have. They need to realize that those aren't human. They're dead and they will kill you without hesitating. I don't see their parents here telling them not to name them," I said.

She sighed before asking, "Are you going?"

"No."

"Why not?"

"That's for kids."

"Carl, you are a kid."

"I'm not a kid anymore Madison," I said, turning on my heel and walking away.

I decided to go to story time...just to see what it's like. Madison's been wanting me to go for a while now and I guess I've finally given in. I quietly snuck in and hid behind a book shelf.

Carol was reading a book, Patrick was sitting next to Rose and Madison was sitting next to Rose. The man that was watching walked out and that made Carol stop reading.

"Ms. Carol, can I take watch now?" Liam, asked. Liam was a kid from Woodbury.

"Yes, Liam, you can," Carol replied. Carol set the book down and opened up the chest she was sitting on. "All right kids, today were going to learn how to use knives. How to use them and—"

"Can I leave? I'm not feeling that well." Patrick asked. I looked over at him and seen he was pale and sweaty.

"Patrick you can't hide from learning to protect yourself," Carol said.

"Yes ma'am I know, I just don't want to vomit on anyone," Patrick replied. He didn't sound like he was feeling alright.

"Sure, go ahead," Carol nodded. I watched as Patrick got up and left.

"Okay so whenever you're—" Carol began, but she stopped when her eyes met mine. "Please, don't tell your father." I shook my head and ran out.

—

 **Thanks for reading, KellyDaniels58**


	10. Walkers On The Inside

**_THE NEXT DAY..._**

 **Carl's POV**

I walked outside and met up with my dad who was walking down the hill to the crops. We stopped by Michonne first, because we saw she was with her horse. Which meant she was leaving again "You leaving?"

"Yeah, I'll be back," Michonne replied.

"Be safe," I said.

"Always am," Michonne replied as she walked away with the horse. "Hey, why don't you wear your hat anymore? I liked that hat."

"It's not a farming hat," I replied. She laughed, got onto her horse and road down to the gate. Tyrese was down there so he opened them for her and she road out. Tyrese closed the gates and went back to fixing the fence.

Dad and I walked over to the crops. He handed me a bucket and he knelt down and started putting some of the dirt and worms into the bucket so we could feed the pigs.

"I was thinking...they're having troubles by the fences. The walkers are almost taking them down. They need help I was thinking, maybe we could help them?" I asked.

"The worms will give the pigs protein," Dad said, completely ignoring my question. "I have plans."

"Well maybe, maybe I could help?" I asked.

"We have plans. That's what I meant to say," Dad said.

"Dad, I'm sorry. I'm trying, I really am," I sighed.

"I know you are, and I'm proud of you," Dad said, looking up to look me in the eye.

All of a sudden a gunshot is heard the prison quickly followed by loud screams. Our heads snap, eyes wide.

"Walkers in 'D'!" That was Glenn's voice.

Dad and I shared a panicked look. "Get in the tower with Maggie, don't agrue."

"Dad, no! I'm coming!" I argued.

"Carl, don't argue! Now get in the tower," Dad said, sternly. I nodded and went to run to the tower but I stopped when hearing a whistle. I looked down at the gates and found Michonne riding back towards the prison.

I ran down to the gate and pulled on the ropes, allowing them to open the gate. I tried to pull the gates closed, but the ropes got jammed and wouldn't close.

Michonne got off her horse as three walkers advanced towards her.

Maggie ran over and helped me close the gates, then ran in to help Michonne, who was now on the ground as walkers advanced on her.

I grabbed the shotgun from the nearby guard tower and I quickly shot the walkers around Michonne as Maggie helped her to her feet. Maggie led her through the fence, the horse following. I set the shotgun down and quickly closed the gates then wrapped Michonne's arm around my shoulder and helped Maggie walk her up towards the prison.

As we made our way towards Cell Block 'C', I seen movement in the corner of my eye, and let out a breath of relief. "Dad!" I ran over to him, happy to know he was okay.

"Carl, no! Don't come over here," Dad said. I ignored his words and wrapped my arms around his torso. He didn't hug back, which upset me a little, but I didn't say anything.

I took a step back and looked at him. "I'm sorry. I had to use a gun. I swear I didn't want to."

"What?" Dad said, furrowing his eyebrows.

"He saved me," Michonne said. Dad nodded understandingly, knowing I did it for the right reason.

"What happened in there?" I asked.

"Patrick got sick. He turned into a walker and attacked the entire cell block. I know he was your friend. He was a good kid and I'm sorry," Dad said. Patrick's dead? But I saw him last night, he was fine.

"What about—"

"The Johnson's are fine. David put them all inside a cell while he helped get rid of the walkers," Dad reassured me.

I nodded and helped Maggie walk Michonne into Cell Block 'C' so we could put her on her bunk in her cell. Her ankle would need looking at.

I made my way across the yard to the pigpen where my dad was. He was burning the pigpen. I stepped forward to help him, but he held his hand out for me to stop, which I did.

"Not this time Carl," Dad said. I nodded and took a step back. "I know you're not going to like this but we have to stay away from Judy from a while—"

"I know. We have to protect her," I agreed.

He nodded. "Yeah, we do." He walked towards a tool box and bent down. "Carl." He motioned me over so I walked towards him. He pulled out my gun from the tool box and hesitantly handed it over to me. I took it from him and held it in my hands. He then stood up and put his belt on strapping his gun in.

—

 **Thanks for reading, KellyDaniels58**


	11. Berries

**_THE NEXT DAY..._**

 **Carl's POV**

Daryl, Michonne, Tyrese, and Bob left the prison today. They're going to get medicine for the sick. Dad told me it was a college Hershel suggested. I just hope they get back soon, we can't lose anyone else...we've lost too many people already.

When dad had come in to tell me that the group left, he also told me that Glenn and Sasha got sick. Glenn, my other best friend, is sick. They apparently broke into huge coughing fits and got taken to quarantine just before the group left for the medicine.

I can't imagine how Maggie is feeling right now. I know that if Glenn doesn't make it through the the sickness...Maggie will never be the same again. She'll become dark and cold and dangerous. She'll get herself killed by her anger and grief.

I know Tyrese won't be the same either if Sasha doesn't make it.

My ears perked up as I heard feet shuffling from down the hall. I was on watch in the administrations building where all the kids were put for protection of the sickness that was spreading.

I walked towards the noise and found Hershel making his way towards the exit. "Where are you going?"

Hershel turned around and faced me, holding an empty bag. "I'm going out."

"To Cell Block 'A'?" I asked.

"No, to the woods," Hershel replied.

"I can't let you go out there. I'm going to have to tell my dad," I said.

"Go ahead, but I won't be here when you get back," Hershel said.

"Then I'm coming with you. I can't let you go out there alone," I said.

"No, Carl," Hershel argued. "Now, I appreciate your concern, but you need to stay here."

"Hershel, I'm not fighting with you, I'm coming. Now let's go," I said. With a sigh, he nodded and led the way as we walked out the doors.

"When did your dad give it back?" Hershel asked. By it he was referring to my gun.

"Yesterday...when all this started," I replied.

"It was good for you to get a break for a while," Hershel said.

"Yeah, but it can't be like that all the time," I said, still searching the perimeter for walkers or someone uninvited.

"You know you didn't have to come with me. It's peaceful out here. Always quiet," Hershel said.

"No, it's not." He turned to look at me as I motioned towards a small camp site with two tents and a fire pit. There was a walker stuck in the moss of the tree.

My head shot in the direction of a branch snapping. It was a walker with a medical device attached to it's leg, causing it to limp through the leaves and branches.

I picked up my gun and aimed.

"Leave it, it's not bothering anyone," Hershel said. "Let's get back." I nodded and together we both walked back to the prison.

—

 **Thanks for reading, KellyDaniels58**


	12. Father and Son

**_THE NEXT DAY..._**

 **Carl's POV**

I came back from my run with Hershel in the woods yesterday and found my dad waiting for me. He was a little upset that I went outside the fences without telling him or getting his permission, but Hershel told my dad that he needed my help going outside, so dad ended up being okay with it. After that dad said he needed to speak with me so Hershel left to give us some privacy.

Dad had then pulled me to the side and told me that Madison was sick. That she came walking out do the administrations building, coughing up blood, and that he walked her to quarantine and told her it would be okay.

My heart practically shattered into a million little pieces. My two best friends are sick.

And to make it even better, my dad left with Carol just a few minutes ago to go on a run with her since we lost all of our food and water in 'D' block.

I can't visit Judith because I don't want to risk getting her sick.

My dad left.

And my two best friends are sick.

I'm all alone.

It was dark out now, and I was still alone—wondering through the halls of the administration building, for all the kids had gotten sick, except for Mika and Luke who were sleeping and Beth and Judith who were locked in a room so Judith wouldn't get sick since she was the most vulnerable out of us all.

All of a sudden two gun shots went off. I snapped my head down the hall, where the doors to the exit were located. I could hear my heart beat accelerate.

Why two?

Why only two?!

Why any gun shots?!

"Carl!" It was my dads voice. I took off running, eventually coming to the hall where he was located.

"What's wrong? I heard shots," I asked.

"I need your help, come on," Dad said. I nodded and followed him.

He led me towards the fences by the main gate. He explained what happened...that he and Maggie were fixing it when gun shots went off and he told her to go.

We started to fix the fence by putting logs up against it, hoping it will by us some time until we could get rid of the walkers up against it.

He picked up a log and kind of struggled to lift it to the fence by himself, so I walked towards it and went to lift it. He gave me a look, pretty much telling I got it, Carl, back off.

"Let me help you," I sighed. He nodded. I took the other end of the log, and we stuck it on the fence...together. "What's going on in there? I heard gun shots."

"I don't kn—" He was cut off as the sound of wood snapping in half made echoed in our ears. The fence fell and walkers began piling in. "Run!" Dad yelled, pushing me forward.

I ran towards the tower door, but stopped when I heard someone fall. I turned around and seen a walker had pulled him down. "Dad! Come on!"

He stood up, after kicking the walker away, and pushed me ahead of him again as we both ran as fast as we could towards the tower. I opened the door and ran in. As soon as he entered he shut the door behind us.

They began piling up against the fence, using their disgusting hands to bang on it. That fence wouldn't hold them for long.

Dad ran to the laundry cart and wheeled it over. He grabbed a gun and handed me one, along with another round of ammo. He quickly taught me how to use it then we waited.

Not a second later, the fence fell down and the walkers stormed in. Gunshots rang in my ears as we shoot them all until every single one of them was on the ground.

We put the guns down and used pipes to go through and make sure they're officially dead.

Our attention was soon turned to the path as a car was driving towards the prison. It was our blue minivan. They were back.

I turned to Dad. "They're going be okay now." He gave me a small smile and nodded as we walked over to the car.

—

 **Thanks for reading, KellyDaniels58**


	13. Burning The Corpses

**_THE NEXT DAY..._**

 **Carl's POV**

When morning came I stood outside the prison, placing dead bodies of all my dad and I's kills on the back of the trailer with Michonne and Dad. We're going to burn them in the woods so the smell wouldn't attract more walkers.

All the sick for the medicine last night as soon Daryl pulled the minivan to the prison. And since my dad won't allow me to go inside and visit Madison, Maggie has been giving me updates on her. And she's doing really well. Better than yesterday. Glenn and Sasha and all the others are doing so much better too.

"All right that's all of them," Dad said as he walked away.

"Care to join me? It could take a while and I could us some company," Hershel asked while looking at Michonne and I.

"Sure," Michonne replied. I nodded.

Michonne, Hershel, and I, got in the truck and Hershel drove us into the woods and parked the truck by a clearing. He turned the car off and we got out. Michonne and I dragged the bodies out and put them in a pile while Hershel watched for walkers.

After they were all in the pile, Michonne pulled out a lighter and lit them on fire. The three of us watched as they burned. And after they burned and was only a pile of burnt walker corpses, we walked back to the car, ready to go back to the prison.

Michonne walked up to the drivers door, but was knocked in the head. She fell to the ground, unconscious. I glanced up from Michonne's unconscious body and my eyes widened. I immediately pulled out my gun and aimed it straight ahead...at The Governor.

"Put the guns down," The Governor demanded. Hershel did, but I didn't. "Put the gun down. Now." I kept it up.

"Carl put the—" Hershel said, but was interrupted as I felt a surge of pain in my shoulder. I dropped my gun and held my shoulder in pain as I fell to my knees. He shot me! No one heard it, for The Governor had a silencer on his gun.

"Tie the other two up, I'll get the girl," The Governor ordered. Three men came out of the trees. One went to Hershel while the others came to me.

He lifted me up and tied my hands behind my back and blind folded me. I winced as he tied my hands, for he jerked my arms back, causing pain from gunshot wound to spread.

"Move," The man said, pushing me forward. I walked forward, wincing at each step. My shoulder was beginning to burn even worse than it had before.

I was shoved into what I assumed was a car and I could feel two others beside me. I'm going to take a wild guess and say they're Hershel and Michonne.

My suspicions of wondering if it were a car, was confirmed. It was indeed a car, for it lurked forward and it became a bumpy ride. After fifteen minutes or so, the car came to a stop.

I was pulled out of the car and I was immediately hit with the smell of food cooking, people talking, and feet shuffling.

"Move," The man snapped. I walked forward, the man shoving me left and right in the direction he wanted me to. I was lifted up then set down on something hard. I'm guessing a floor?

The blindfold was taken off of me and I noticed I was sat on the floor of a trailer across from the now conscious Michonne and Hershel, who sat on the a bench.

Michonne furrowed her eyebrows at my gunshot wound and her eyes widened and filled with pure hatred and anger. "He. Shot. You?"

"Yeah," I replied weakly.

"You okay?" Hershel asked.

"I feel weak, like I'm going to pass out," I replied.

The door to the trailer opened and none other than The Governor himself walked in. He crossed the trailer and sat down in a chair.

"What are you using us for?" Hershel asked.

"I'm getting the prison one way or another. I needed some leverage." The Governor simply replied.

"So you needed to knock me out, shoot a kid, and kidnap all three of us so you can take our prision?" Michonne asked, anger dripping from her tongue as she glared daggers at him.

"Yes," The Governor nodded, an evil smirk on his lips.

"If you do this, you'd be killing innocent people. We have children, a baby." My heart clenched at the mere thought of losing my sister. "My family is there. My daughters are there. If you know what it's like to have a daughter than you should know how this makes me feel," Hershel said.

The Governor stood from his chair, grabbed his gun off the counter, and walked to the door. He opened the door and turned to Hershel. "They're not mine, why should I care?" He then walked out, closing the door behind him.

I felt my head begin to fall forward as my vision blurred. "Carl, are you all right?" Hershel asked.

"It's going to be all right, Carl. Just try and stay with us." Michonne said. I nodded weakly and lifted my head, forcing my eyes to stay open.

The Governor drove down the road, lots of cars following behind this car. We soon came to familiar scenery. The prison.

 _Oh-no._

The Governor pulled up to the fence and got out of the car. A tank pulled up to the fence and shot a bomb at the prison, right at Cell Block 'B'. Thankfully that cell block was empty.

My heart was beating rapidly as I watched the prison. Everyone I love is in there.

I seen figures coming out of the prison and stopping at the fence. I recognized a few of them immediately.

The blonde hair. Beth.

The short brown hair. Maggie.

The tan sweater. Sasha.

The black beanie. Tyrese.

The brown vest. Bob.

The crossbow. Daryl.

The tan buttoned shirt. My dad.

"Come down here Rick! We need to talk!" The Governor yelled from on top of the tank.

—

 **Thanks for reading, KellyDaniels58**


	14. Katana

**Carl's POV**

"I don't make the decisions anymore! There's a council that runs the prision now!" I heard my dad yell.

"Is Hershel on the council?!" The Governor yelled. The car door opened and a man pulled Hershel out and as threw him on his knees in front of the all the cars.

"How about Michonne, is she on the council, too?!" The Governor yelled. The same man opened the door and pulled Michonne out. She was put her on her knees beside Hershel.

"Maybe even your son, Carl?!" The Governor yelled, a cruel smirk on his lips. The man grabbed my injured shoulder and threw me down beside Michonne. I winced in pain.

I knew now that my dad would come down now. He would have come down anyway, but I knew for sure nothing would stop him now. I was his son. And I was right, my dad opened the gate and walked down the path.

Dad came to a stop at the fence, directly in front of where Hershel, Michonne, and I were at. "Let them go right now. I'll stay down here and talk to you as long as you want. Just let them go. You have a tank, you don't need hostages."

"Yes I do," The Governor said.

"You don't need to do this," Dad pleaded.

"I have a tank, more people, and more firepower. Now, you have an hour of sunlight left, so I suggest you start packing," The Governor said.

"We're not leaving," Dad said, his voice stern.

"The longer you wait, the longer it's going to be to get out of there," The Governor said.

"We can all live together. We have enough room for all of you," Dad said.

I'm not living in the same building as The Governor! No way!

"More than enough. I don't think my family will be able to sleep knowing you and your people are under the same roof," The Governor replied.

 _Yeah, because your people are angels,_ I thought bitterly.

"We'll have separate cells. You'll barley see us. We won't have see each other at all," Dad said.

"It could work, it could," Hershel said.

No, it couldn't!

"No. Not after Woodburry. Not after Andrea," The Governor said.

Anger flared in my body. _How dare he mention someone from our group! He has no right!_

"Now we can all live here, or no one can," Dad said.

The Governor jumped down from the tank, grabbed Michonne's katana sword and walked towards Hershel, putting Michonne's katana to his neck.

I kept my eyes glued to Hershel. I couldn't hear anything. I didn't hear what my dad was saying, but whatever it was it made The Governor lower Michonne's katana.

But then something happened. It felt like it happened in slow motion.

"Liar." He brought the katana back and then forward. He cut Hershel's neck, causing blood to immediately pour from the deep cut and onto Hershel's white, now crimson red, buttoned shirt.

Hershel fell to the ground, slowly dying from blood loss.

The man that saved my life was bleeding out before me. I felt tears build in my eyes as I watched the blood flow from his neck.

Hershel didn't deserve to die like this. He didn't deserve to die at all. He was a good man that always put everyone else before himself. He was kind, caring, funny, smart, and one of the bravest men I ever knew. I am glad I had the chance to know him.

I'll never forget him.

 _Never._

"No!" Dad yelled in anger. Dad pulled out his pistol and shot at The Governor, hitting him in the shoulder.

Bullets began flying everywhere.

I watched as Hershel tried to crawl away, but The Governor noticed and finished what he started by cutting Hershel's head from his body.

I felt tears more tears build and finally they spilled down my cheeks at the sight of Hershel's decapitated body.

The Governor stood up and threw Michonne's katana to the ground, stalking towards the fences. "Take down the fences! Kill them all!" He yelled over the gunfire.

"Carl, let's go. Come on," Michonne said. I followed her as we both ran behind a car. She used the bumper of the car to cut the rope off of her wrists. I followed her actions and used the bumper to cut the rope off of my wrists. "Carl, stay here." I nodded and watched as she ran away.

I couldn't just stay here though, I had to find my dad, my sister, and my best friend.

 **Madison's POV**

I laid on my bunk in Cell Block 'A'. I was recovering well from the sickness I had. My mom was in here with me while dad stayed safely in Cell Block 'C' and my siblings with Carl in the administration building. Carl. I haven't seen him since we read comic books the other day. Rick said he told Carl about me being sick and he didn't take it well.

All of a sudden the whole prison shook. I immediately sat up, my heart racing. Mom snapped her head in the direction as well. "Mom?"

"Stay here, baby," Mom ordered, getting up from the chair by my bed and running from my cell. Seconds later she came back in. "Come on, Sweetheart! We have to go!"

"What's going on?" I asked, getting up from the bed. She took my hand and led me from the cell. We followed Maggie, who was helping Glenn walk, outside.

Gunshots rang in my ears along with walker groans. I coughed at the amount of smoke and dust in the air.

"Mom?"

"Just keep moving, Sweetie," She said over the gunfire.

Glenn placed Maggie on the bus where others were gathering in. Mom had me walk in after Glenn, but she didn't follow. "Mom? Where are you going?"

"I'll be right back. I'm going to find your siblings and father. Stay with Glenn and Maggie!" She called over her shoulder she ran from the bus.

Maggie looked around and groaned. "Where's Beth?!" She asked.

"She went to find Judith and the other kids," A woman told her. I believe her name was Janet. She was Liam's mother.

Maggie ran out of the bus and Glenn went to follow, but I quickly grabbed Glenn's arm and pulled him towards a seat. "She'll come back, Glenn! She'll be all right." He hesitated, but nodded and sat back in his seat.

Bullets then began hitting the bus, one smashing a window, causing shards of glass to fly everywhere. Glenn pulled me down, covering me with his body so I wouldn't get hit.

"We can't wait for anyone else, we've got to get out of here!" Janet exclaimed, rushing to the drivers seat and placing the keys in the ignition. The bus roared to life and she pressed on the gas pedal.

"We can't just leave them here!" Glenn shouted over the sound of gunfire.

"We have no choice," Janet replied, driving down the back driveway of the prison.

—

 **Thanks for reading, KellyDaniels58**


	15. Their New Home

THE NEXT DAY... Madison's POV It's been a whole day. We have seen no sign of anyone from the group. Not one. We even drove back after a little while after leaving to see if we could find someone, but nothing. Not one person. The bus came to a stop and Glenn turned around in the drivers chair. "Let's go look for some supplies. Everyone else stay here," Glenn said, looking to me. I nodded and followed him off the bus. We walked down the street and came to a gas station. We siphoned some gas and got some food from inside. We walked back out and looked around. "Let's go up this way," Glenn suggested. I followed him as he walked down the road. He soon came to a stop and was looking at something on his left. I followed his gaze. It was a two story yellow house with charcoal-colored roof. It had a large metal fence around the whole perimeter of the yard. It was perfect. "It's perfect." "Yeah, it is," I agreed. "Let's go clear it of any walkers. It looks safe enough to stay in for a while," Glenn said. I nodded and together we made our way to the front gate. Glenn unlocked the gate and relocked it when we got in. We made our way into the house and searched every room. We only had to kill three walkers...Glenn had killed all three of them, saying I needed to keep my strength since the sickness was still having small effects on me, but he was fine now. The house had four bedrooms, all of them upstairs. It also had an attic and a basement that are extremely clean so you could sleep in those rooms as well. It even had some food left in the cabinets. This is the perfect place to stay in. When we got back to the bus we told everyone one about the house and they agreed that we should go to the house and stay there. "Oh my, God...this is perfect," Janet breathed as we pulled up to the house. "It's going to get dark soon. We should start bringing stuff in," Glenn said. All seven of us nodded and began carrying our supplies inside the house. After carrying all the bags in we started to unpack. When night came, Janet turned to Glenn. "Where do we sleep?" She asked, Liam standing in front of her. "Madison and I will can get a bedroom, Janet and Liam will get a bedroom, Molly and William can have one, and Adam and Eli can have the other," Glenn said. Molly and William were husband and wife, that is why they're sharing a room. And Adam and Eli were just two men from Woodbury, but we're friends and wouldn't mind sharing a room. "We'll take watch in shifts. One person for six hours, then they wake the next person. I'll go first." I walked upstairs to find a room and chose the one with a queen sized be. The room was actually neat, like someone never lived here. I laid down and finally let my tears flow. I don't have my family...I'm all alone. I felt someone gently shake my shoulder. "Maddie, wake up." I rolled over and slowly opened my eyes. It was Glenn. "What?" I asked. "Come here," He said. I got up from the bed and followed him. He led me downstairs and into the living. I froze. Standing in front of me was my family. My mom, dad, and siblings. "Maddie!" Michael stood from the coach and ran over, throwing his arms around me. Tears built in my eyes as I hugged my little brother. The rest of my family huddled into our hug and held me tight. After a few moments, everything pulled out of the family hug and Mom cupped my face in her hands. "I can't believe you're both okay. We were so worried that we lost you." I smiled and wrapped my arms her, hugging my mother tightly. "Is this all of you?" Dad asked, motioning to me, Glenn, Adam, Janet, and Liam. The others must be sleeping. "No we have some of the people that were in 'D'...Eli, Molly, and William are still sleeping," Glenn replied. "What about Maggie?" Rose asked Glenn as mom and I pulled away from our hug. Glenn's face saddened. "I don't know." "Did you guys see Carl, mom?" I asked, turning to her. Mom shook her head and brushed my hair back. "No, but I know if he is with Rick then I know Carl is safe." — Thanks for reading, KellyDaniels58 


	16. Supply Run

**_TWO WEEKS LATER..._**

 **Madison's POV**

We've been at the house for two weeks now and it was going well. Occasionally we would go and scout the area in groups of two and check for survivors from our group. Because if my family found us, why not someone else?

Today, I was walking down the street with Jack and Glenn. The three of us were going on a run to collect some more food from a Kroger a mile down the road.

I was shocked that my mom and dad let me and Jack go along with Glenn on this run, but Jack talked them into it, saying he'd keep me safe. I have no idea why Jack wanted to bring me, but I didn't mind, I needed out of the house for a little while.

"Here we are," Glenn announced as he stopped in front of the Kroger. "All right, split up and find what you can then meet back at the front entrance." Jack and I nodded as the three of us split into different directions.

I walked down aisles, occasionally stuffing food inside my backpack. I had no run-in with a walker, yet anyway.

Tears built in my eyes as I spotted a pack of M&M's on the ground. It reminded me of Michonne. She loved eating the stale M&M's that she'd find while out looking for The Governor. I remember when she had Carl and I try one. It was so hard it practically broke my tooth. I smiled at the memory.

I reached down and grabbed the M&M's, stuffing them into my bag. When I stood, a knife was pressed against my neck and a hand placed over my mouth. I squirmed, trying to break free, but a mouth came close to my ear and whispered, "Don't struggle, Sweetheart. Now, don't move or make a sound unless you want your throat slit." It was a male. "Grab her bag and let's go."

Another person, this one a male as well, picked up my bag of supplies, which was thankfully not that full, and tossed it over his shoulder.

"All right, let's get out of here," The man holding me said. The man forced me to the back door, his hand still over my mouth and knife to my throat. All I could think about was if these men harmed...or killed...Glenn and Jack.

When we were outside they walked around the side of the store and to the front entrance and stopped for a moment. "Where's Gary?" The man holding me asked, impatiently.

"I don't know, he said he'd be waiting out here," The man with my bag replied.

A sudden thought came to my mind; if Glenn and Jack are alright, then how will they find me?

Without the men noticing I slowly reached my hand to my wrist and pulled my silver bracelet that Jack gave me long ago off my wrist.

All of a sudden a man, I am assuming is Gary, pulled up in a jeep. I used the car as a cover so they wouldn't hear my bracelet hit the ground.

They dragged me towards the jeep and tossed me in the backseat as they drove away down the road.

—

 **Thanks for reading, KellyDaniels58**


	17. Where's Madison?

Jack walked down an aisle, his flashlight in his hand and bag over his shoulder. He was searching for supplies for his group. Jack stuffed another box of food into his supply bag then sighed. It was full. He walked to the front entrance where he was meant to go when he was finished.

As Jack neared the front entrance he could see a figure standing their waiting for him. Glenn.

But Jack began to fill with worry. His sister, Madison, for she had come on the run as well, was nowhere in sight. "Where's Madison?" Jack asked. He was worried for his little sister's safety.

Glenn's eyebrow furrowd in confusion and worry as he looked around, shining his flashlight around the store. "I don't know," Glenn replied.

"Madison!" Jack yelled, only to be shouted at by Glenn.

"Quiet! There could be walkers," Glenn scolded him.

"Where could she be?" Jack asked, beginning to panic.

"You check inside, I'll go check outside," Glenn said. Jack nodded and turned on heel as he went off in search of his little sister.

Glenn watched as Jack disappeared from his sight. When he could no longer see him he too turned on his heel and went off in search of Madison. Glenn walked around the parking lot outside looking around the entire outside. He did not see her.

Where could she had gone, Glenn thought.

Glenn searched everywhere outside, but he could not find the young, brown haired girl. Just as Glenn was about to go back inside he noticed a shiny silver bracelet on the concrete. His eyebrows furrowed in confusion as he curiosly walked towards the piece of jewelry.

As Glenn got closer he bent down and observed the bracelet. He picked it up and it had an 'M' charm in cursive and the color of pink. He recognized it right away. It was Madison's.

But what was it doing our here, He thought. He quickly picked it up and turned on his heel, running inside the store to tell Jack what he had found.

"Jack?" Glenn called out. Glenn then heard footsteps close by and soon Jack stood before him.

"She's not here. I searched the whole store," Jack said, his voice full of panic and worry for his little sister.

"I found this in the parking lot. It was laying on the pavement," Glenn said, showing the concerned older brother the bracelet.

"Why would she just leave her bracelet outside on the ground?" Jack asked.

"That's just it...she didn't. She wouldn't. I think she may have been taken," Glenn replied.

"Taken?!" Jack exclaimed. "Ho—"

"Sh!" Glenn scolded him. "Calm down. We're going to look for her. Now come on."

"But how do we find her?" Jack asked as the two of them searched for any signs of who may have taken Madison outside.

"I don't know. Just look for something—anything that can lead us to Madison," Glenn replied.

Glenn and Jack searched the entire parking lot until they found tire marks. Fresh tire marks made of blood.

"Do you think those'll lead us to the people that took her?" Jack asked as he looked in the direction the tracks were heading.

"I hope so," Glenn said. "Well, let's get going. We don't want to be wondering around in the dark."

And so the two began their journey down the road in search for the car that made those tire tracks in the parking lot. The two were determined to find Madison. They wouldn't stop until they had found her.

—

 **Thanks for reading,** **KellyDaniels58**


	18. Slave

**Madison's POV**

I don't know how long I was in the jeep, but I know for a fact that it wasn't that long, for we were already at the destination the men were wanting to take me.

"Let's go," The man growled as he pushed me out of the car, causing me to land on my stomach. I felt a wet liquid roll down the side of my face. Great.

I groaned in pain as an arm wrapped itself around my elbow, pulling me to my feet. "Welcome to your new home, Madison, or should I say Number Six." The man smirked. I know what you're think...how do these men know my name? Well they made me tell them in the car. It was either tell them my name or get my throat slit...the choice is pretty obvious.

A house stood alone in the middle of the woods. Outside the house were several tents and there were four...no five kids wearing orange jump suits. What is this place?

"Get her some clothes, then bring her to me," The man said. Another man roughly grabbed my arm and pulled me towards the house. He brought me to the kitchen. He then opened a door and it led to a basement.

He walked down the stairs and roughly pushed me a few feet forward. I stumbled a bit, but I regained my footing. I turned around and seen the man digging through a trunk by the stairs. He stood up and turned towards me. "Put this on and come upstairs when you're done," The man said as he threw an orange jumpsuit into my arms. He walked upstairs and slammed the door shut, causing me to flinch at the sudden loudness.

I looked around the room, just now noticing that there were several mattresses. Two were up against the wall and eight were around the room. Each had a pillow and a very thin blanket. A few feet were in between each mattress.

I sighed, knowing that if I didn't get dressed that the man would eventually come back and hurt me. I quickly stripped down to my bra, tank top and underwear. I put on the jumpsuit, my socks, and retied my boots. I put my hair up into a messy bun and walked upstairs.

I opened the door and stepped back into the kitchen. The man stood waiting for me, and he looked incredibly impatient.

"Took you long enough," He growled. "Let's go." He grabbed my arm yet again and dragged me outside. He led me over to picnic table that had a few men sitting on the benches.

The man sitting at the table was the one that held me in the car earlier. He must be the leader of this group. He looked at me and then to the man holding my arm and said, "Get me the others." The man let go of my arm and left.

A few moments later the man came back with five kids. Some maybe my age or younger.

"First you will all do the laundry. There is a lot to do so get started now. I don't want to hear any complaining from anyone, understand?" We all nodded. "If I catch any of you not doing your job there will be consequences. When you're finished you will put the laundry in everyone's tents then come to me when you're finished. Do I make myself clear?" The leader...well I'm assuming he is the leader...said. We all nodded again. "Dismiss." He waved his hand.

The five kids mumbled, "Yes, Sir."

They turned on their heels, leaving me alone. I stared at the man once more before quickly following after the five kids. They stopped at a laundry area. There was three buckets of water, soap, brushes, a table, clothes line and pins.

"So you're new here? When did they capture you?" One of the boys asked.

"Earlier today," I replied.

"What's your name?" A girl asked.

"Madison, what's yours?" I asked.

"I'm Callie and this is my twin sister, Carrie." A girl said. She had dark skin, long brown curls and brown eyes. I could definitely tell they were twins. They looked identical. I'm gonna have trouble telling them apart. They looked to be about my little brother Michael's age.

"Nick," One of the boys said. He had dirty-blonde hair and green eyes. He looked to be about Beth and Jack's age, maybe even older.

"Penny," The other girl said. She had tan skin and looked to be around my age. She had blonde hair and blue eyes.

"Ben." The last one said. He had olive skin, brown hair, and brown eyes. He looked to be about my age, too.

—

 **Thanks for reading,** **KellyDaniels58**


	19. House in the Woods

Jack and Glenn walked down the road following the very faint blood tracks from the tires of the vehicle they're tracking. They so desperately wished they had Daryl with them right now, for Daryl was the best tracker in their group.

"How much further do you think these tracks will lead us until they fully disappear?" Jack asked.

"I don't know. Hopefully they'll lead us the entire way-to wherever they end," Glenn replied.

And so the two walked for quite a while until finally the tracks went into the woods. So they then began to follow them into the woods. As the two walked through the trees and green grass, they soon came to a house. A lone house in the woods with several tents outside the house. Lots of men covered the yard of the house, heavily weaponed and strongly built.

Glenn and Jack ducked behind a fallen tree trunk for cover, for they did not want the men to see them.

"Where do you suppose Madison is?" Jack asked.

"No idea. Possibly in the house," Glenn replied.

"There's two of us and over a dozen of them. How are we supposed to find Madison without being seen, captured...or killed?" Jack asked.

"I was thinking the same thing. There's only one option," Glenn said.

"And what is that option?" Jack asked, slight fear in his eyes as he waited for Glenn to tell him.

"We have to go back to our camp and get some help. We need more people. We can't save her on our own, there's two many of them," Glenn replied.

"You want me to leave my little sister here with all these men? She could be killed!" Jack exclaimed.

"There's no other option. It's that or we die, they'd easily kill us before we could even find Madison," Glenn said.

Jack sighed, for he knew Glenn was right. There was no way to get Madison without being seen...or killed. They needed help, but he didn't want to leave his sister with these men.

God knows what they'd do to her, Jack thought.

"All right, let's go," Jack said.

With a final glance at the lone house in the woods, they turned on their heels and headed back to the road, towards their camp.

—

 **Thanks for reading,** **KellyDaniels58**


	20. Punishments

**Madison's POV**

I stood at the kitchen sink, washing the dishes from the mens dinner they just ate. The dinner me and the two twins, Callie and Carrie, made for them. I was very surprised when the twins told me they have water and plumbing here, I mean, the worlds gone and they have freaking plumbing still!

"Bring me the kids!" An angry voice yelled. The twins flinched and both jumped into my sides. A man barged into the kitchen and grabbed Carrie and Callie by the arms then me, rather roughly might I add, and dragged us outside.

When we got outside the man released our arms as we came to the leader of their group. "Who's idea was it?"

I looked at him in confusion. What idea?

"I said whose idea was it?" He growled. "All right...that's fine. Don't talk. Take them to separate rooms and well...you know what to do," He smirked evilly. I gulped. I was roughly lifted off the ground and flung over a mans shoulder as he began to walk towards the house.

When he got inside the house, he walked upstairs and into a room. The room was completely empty. He threw me to the ground, causing me to cringe in pain as my head and body made contact with the hardwood floor. "This is going to be fun."

I swallowed hard and fought back the tears.

He knelt down over me and pinned me to the ground and began to kissing my neck. I cringed and tried to get away from his cold lips. "You move or make a noise, I slit your throat," He growled in my ear, causing a horrifying shiver to run down my spine.

He continued to kiss my neck, and each kiss, each time his nasty, cold, lips touched my neck it made me want to vomit.

His lips moved up my neck and to my lips, kissing me roughly. I gagged and kept my lips shut as he kissed me. I felt a tear roll down the side of my face as he continued to kiss my lips. I always imagined my first kiss to be with someone I loved. And that their lips would taste wonderful and amazing soft against mine, but this mans lips were nasty, and chapped, and cold—so cold.

?

My body was sore as I laid curled in a ball on the cold, hardwood floor. The man sat a few feet away from me, only in his boxers.

I wanted to cry with all my heart, but it was like all the tears were drained from my body. I couldn't cry. I wanted to, but I couldn't.

"So, was it you?" The man asked. I didn't answer. I couldn't. "I said, was it you? You know...the one that made the plan to try and escape. Bill caught that kid Penny with a piece of paper with a whole plan on it, he wouldn't say who's idea it was." I still didn't answer, and that made him mad. Great.

He crawled over to me and pinned me down as he climbed ontop of me. I felt a hard, cold metal being pressed against my throat. A knife.

"You gonna talk?" He asked, impatiently. I stared blankey into his eyes. And because I didn't answer, he got angrier. "Fine, have it your way." He smirked. He pulled the knife away from my throat and slid it down my arm.

Finally I talked, but it was only a sound. A wimper of pain.

Next, he slid the knife across my cheek, making a gash on the side of my face. I could feel the blood roll down my face. And again, I whimpered.

He then stabbed me in the shoulder. I gasped in pain and looked down at my shoulder. Blood seeped out of the stab wound and formed a puddle on the floor around my body. I breathed heavily as my vision got blurry then everything went black as my head rolled to the right.

?

I woke up as something kicked my leg. I slowly opened my eyes and found one of the men standing above me. It wasn't the man who did everything to me though, it was another.

"Get up," He said, kicking me leg again.

I got up, cringing in pain as I did. My shoulder was killing me.

"Get moving, it's laundry time," He snapped, shoving me towards the door. He pulled me all the way from the house and outside where I spotted the twins doing their laundry. "Get to work," He spat, then walked away.

I turned to the twins and noticed their hands were wrapped. "What happened?" I asked.

"They didn't bring Carrie and I to a room like they did you guys—they forced us to touch the oven," Callie replied, flinching as she scrubbed the clothing on the washboard with her hands.

I stared at the young girls in shock. What kind of person would do this to kids?

—

 **Thanks for reading,** **KellyDaniels58**


	21. Water

**Madison's POV**

The twins and I were still doing the laundry when all of a sudden three buckets were thrown at our feet. I jumped. "Go to the well and fill these with water."

"Yes, Sir," The three of said at the same time. We each grabbed a bucket and I looked to the twins.

"Where do we fill the buckets at?" I asked.

"In the woods, just over there," Carrie replied. I nodded and followed her and her sister into the woods, where we found Penny, Nick, and Ben here too. One guy came with us so we wouldn't try and run off.

When we got to the well we each took turns filling the bucket we held. As I was filling my bucket I heard someone fall to the ground then a hand was clamped over my mouth. I immediately squirmed, trying desperately to get away from whoever it was.

"Quiet. It's me, Glenn."

I stopped and turned around. It was indeed Glenn. I smiled in relief. I looked around and noticed held William held Penny, Jack held Ben, Eli held Carrie, Dad held Nick and Adam held Callie. I also noticed that the man from here was unconscious on the ground at my dads feet.

"How did you find me?" I asked.

Glenn took something out of his pocket and held it up. It was my silver bracelet Jack gave me years ago. I smiled. They had found it.

"Let's go, before they notice," Jack suggested. Glenn nodded and together we all ran through the woods, away from that house.

?

After a while of running we had came to the Kroger that Jack, Glenn, and I went to. The bus was parked outside of it, the rest of the group inside. They all came running out as soon as they seen us, and my mom scooped me up into her arms.

"Oh, Maddie, thank god you're okay!" Mom said, her face digging into my hair. She pulled back and kissed my forehead, moving my hair from my face. She no doubt seen my bruises from the man. "What happened?"

"I'll tell you later, Mom," I replied, not really wanting my little brother, who was standing behind my mom, to know I was raped and beaten.

"Who are they?" Liam asked, gesturing to Ben, Penny, Nick, Callie and Carrie.

"Everyone this is Penny, Nick. Ben, and the twins Callie and Carrie," I said, pointing to each of them.

"Everyone in the bus, we have to go," Glenn said. We all did what he said and got in the bus. I sat beside my mom and Rose as everyone else found their own seats.

"How come we're not going back to camp?" I asked.

"They could find us, we need to move," Glenn replied. He had a point there.

?

After a while it was night and Glenn had stopped the bus, saying we drove far enough away. Almost everyone was asleep. Glenn, Jack, Dad, and I were the only ones awake out of the group. We were on watch for walkers or people. I was standing with Jack while Dad stood with Glenn.

"Do you think the others are out there somewhere, alive?" I asked.

"I hope so," Jack replied.

"I miss Carl," I sighed.

"I know you do," Jack said. After few moments of silence he said, "I miss Beth."

"I know you do," I said. Jack wrapped his arm around my shoulder, causing me to cringe. My shoulder was still killing me.

Jack immediately pulled his arm away. "What's wrong?" His voice dripped with concern.

I sighed. I had already told mom and dad about everything, but not Jack or my other siblings, or the others in the group. "Promise you won't tell anyone."

"Madison—"

"Jack, promise me," I said.

Jack looked hesitant, but nodded. "Okay, I promise."

"I already told mom and dad earlier," I sighed. "While I was there, Penny had this piece of paper with a plan to leave and they found it on her. They didn't believe she was the only one that knew about it, so they tortured us to find out who was in on it with her. The man brought me up to a room...and he..." Tears sprang in my eyes as the images played in my head. "...he raped me, and stabbed me in the shoulder."

"He. Raped. You?" Jack's jaw was clenched tight, eyes blazing with anger, nose flaring.

A sob escaped my lips and I nodded. Jack pulled me into his arms as I cried. He muttered quiet things to me, and after a while my sobs calmed down and I pulled away from Jack.

It was quiet for a while after that...until I heard a buzzing noise in the distance. It was coming from the sky. "Do you hear that?"

Jack nodded. "Yeah." We both stepped aay from the bus and began to search the starry night sky.

"What is that?"

"I don't know," Jack replied. Dad and Glenn came around to our side of the bus and stared up at the sky.

All of a sudden there was bright white light and Jack pulled me close as we squinted our eyes. Dad walked over to us and Glenn stayed close.

"It's a helicopter," Jack breathed as everyone on the bus ran out to investigate the noise.

It landed a few feet away from the bus and Dad put Jack and I behind him to shield us away from harm as footsteps came towards us.

The lights dimmed down so it wasn't blinding us. I could now see half a dozen men with guns coming towards us. They were dressed in military clothing.

"My name is Captain Henry Starr. We're here to take to you to safety."

"What kind of safety?" Glenn asked.

"We have walls built around the entire state of North Carolina. We have been going state-to-state to find survivors and bring them to North Carolina. No infected can enter. The only way you can get in is over the wall or to climb ladders. You will be safe with us," Henry said.

"It's been two years, how did it take you that long to find a cure?" Dad asked.

"It takes a long time to make a cure for a disease like this. Now are you coming? Or would you rather stay here?" Henry asked.

Glenn looked at all of us, then turned back to the man, Henry, and nodded. "We'll come with you."

"Get your stuff and get in a helicopter. And hurry before the infected hear the noise," Henry ordered.

We all nodded and shuffled around to gather up our supplies. We loaded up the helicopters and got in.

—

 **Thanks for reading, K** **ellyDaniels58**


	22. Burning Pain

**Madison's POV**

"Welcome to North Carolina," Henry said from the front of the helicopter. I looked out the window and seen a giant wall built around the edge of the state. "It'll be twenty minutes until we can get to the welcome facility."

Twenty minutes later, Henry landed the helicopter on a building and told us to get out.

"All right everyone listen up!" Henry said. "Now there are some steps you each must go through before you will be able to stay here."

"What kind of steps?" Glenn asked.

"Step One; Quarantine. You will be taken inside of this building to the quarantine floor. The quarantine floor will have several hospital beds. You will get injected with the cure which will make dead for one-two weeks. If you wake up during the one-two weeks than you will be cured and no longer have the disease in your system. However, if you do not wake up than your body rejected the cure and you will turn. Step Two; The Cleansing. When you wake up you will be showered, dressed and taken to the cafeteria to eat. Step Three; Relocation. You will be put into a town with people from the state that you were found in. Now since you were all found in Georgia you will be put in Hendersonville. A town full of people that we have rescued from Georgia. And lastly, Step Four; Location. You will be put in an apartment or a house in the town you will be put in. You will get clothing, food, and other supplies for your new home. Now, do I have any questions?" Henry asked.

"What happens if we don't want to take the cure?" Mom asked.

"Then you will be put into a locked cell so you can not spread the disease through the cities. We wouldn't want that. Then when you die and turn we'll disposal your body into the cemetery," Henry said. Oh, how pleasant. So basically you have no choice but to take the cure? "Now, who all will be taking the cure?"

Mom and Dad looked at my siblings and I then turned to each other and began to whisper. When they finished whispering my mom turned to Henry and said, "We'll take the cure." Henry nodded and looked to the others, waiting for their response.

"We'll do it," William said, speaking for both him and Molly.

"I'll do it," Eli and Adam said at the same time.

Everyone looked to Glenn, who looked to be in deep thought. I knew exactly what he was thinking about. It starts with 'M' and ends with 'E'.

"And you?" Henry asked, staring intently at Glenn, waiting for him to answer.

"Did you find a woman. Her name is Maggie Greene. She has brown hair and—"

"I don't know. We have saved a lot of men, woman, and children from Georgia. I will check the database for her name, but first, I need an answer. Are you going to take the cure or not?" Henry asked.

Glenn sighed and rubbed his hand over his face before looking up and meeting Henry's eyes. "I'll take the cure. But I need to know if my wife, Maggie, is here first."

"Understandable," Henry said. Henry turned to one of his men and said, "Take the others to quarantine while I take Glenn to check for his wife."

One of the men nodded and stepped forward. "I'm Caleb Morgan. I'll take you to quarantine, follow me." We nodded and followed Caleb to the door that led inside the building.

Caleb, led us down a stairwell and turned around as we came to a door that had a plaque on the wall beside the door.

Brandon Memorial Hospital

Level 6

Step One: Quarantine

He opened the door and held it open for the rest of us to walk inside.

The room was large and everything was white. It had dozens of hospital beds along the walls, each separated with a curtain for privacy. And in some of those beds were men, women, and even some children. They all laid unconscious on their beds. The machines beside their beds were flatlined, meaning the cure was killing whatever was inside that made you turn into a walker.

In the middle of the room was a table. A doctor sat at that table in a chair, papers spread over her desk nearly. The doctor looked up and smiled at us. She stood, a clip board in her hands, and walked towards us.

She was a very pretty woman with bright blonde hair and blue eues. She looked to be in her early thirtys. "Hello, my name is, Dr. Emily Heart, welcome to North Carolina. I'm sure you were told all the steps so let's get started. You will each fill out a form so we know your name and other things about you. Now if you're under the age of seventeen you must have a guardian. So please, make sure you have one before we inject you with the cure," Dr. Heart said as she handed each of us a form, I gave mine to my mom for her to fill out, Rose doing the same with her form.

After my mom signed my form, Rose's, and her own they brought us all to separate beds and closed the curtains, staring the process.

A woman in a white coat and purple scrubs walked over to me and grabbed my papers on the side table by my bed. "Madison. I'm Dr. Amelia Bennett, I'm another doctor here."

"Hello," I greeted.

"I am going to strap you down so you don't fall off the table when I inject you. It tends to burn so be prepared for a burning pain. I'm sorry," Dr. Bennett said. I nodded and laid back as she began to use the restraints to strap my wrists and ankles down to the bed I laid on. She pulled up my sleeve and cleaned my arm with an alcohol pad. She slowly started moving the needle towards my arm, making my heart start beating faster as she got closer. Yeah...I have a fear of needles. And Carl always calmed me down when we were kids. But he wasn't here so I was freaking out.

I felt a slight pinch in my arm and flinched a little. She injected the cure and pulled the needle out. Not even a second later I gasped in pain as a burnng surge of white-hot pain shot through my veins. My whole body felt like it was on fire. I arched my back in pain and squeezed my eyes shut as I squirmed on the table. My hands balled into fists as I could feel the burning in my entire body get hotter, and hotter, and hotter...until everything was black.

—

 **Thanks for reading,** **KellyDaniels58**


	23. 8 Days Later

_EIGHT DAYS LATER..._

 **Madison's POV**

"Madison?"

"Madison, can you hear me?"

I slowly opened my eyes and found everything a compete blur. I could make out a figure bending over my body, flashing a light in my eyes to check my pupils.

My vision eventually cleared and I could now see that it was Dr. Heart that was hovering over my body.

"Dr. Heart?" I asked, just to make sure it was really her.

"Yeah, it's me. Madison, how do you feel?" Dr. Heart asked as she pulled out her stethoscope to check my heart.

"Fine, I feel fine. A little achy though," I replied.

"That's usual, just a small side effect from the injection," Dr. Heart replied. "Can you take a deep breath me, please?" I did as told and after she put her stethoscope back into her coat pocket.

"How long was I out?" I asked as she began to take the restraints off my wrists and ankles.

"Eight days."

"As any of my family woken yet?" I asked.

"I can't say, I'm sorry," Dr. Heart replied. "Now you are on to the next step, Madison. The Cleansing. I'll take you to the elevator where you'll go down to level five and straight to the woman at the front desk, okay?" I nodded and stood from the bed and she placed a stretchy string around my neck. Connected to that string was a card that had my information on it along with five hole punches. She punched out the first one, which meant Step One was finished.

"Thank you,"I said.

She nodded and walked me to the elevator. The doors opened and I stepped in, pressing the button with the number five on it.

When the elevator doors opened I was met with a woman at the front desk and a sign hanging above her from the ceiling.

Brandon Memorial Hospital

Level 5

Step Two: The Cleansing

I walked up to the woman and handed her my tag. She was wearing the same white coat and purple scrubs as the ladies upstairs. "Hello, I'm Brenda Matthews, follow me and I'll show you to the showers and clothing room." I nodded and followed her down the hall.

She opened up a door and switched on the light. Inside the room was thousands of pieces of clothing. Wow. "Go ahead and find something that fits you."

I walked inside and started searching through the clothing. I eventually found a pair of shorts that went mid-thigh and a black graphic t-shirt. I also grabbed a pair of black sneakers, underwear, socks, and lastly a bra.

"All right, this way," Brenda said. She closed the door as I walked out. I followed her down the hall here she then opened up another door and switched on the light. It had a bed and bathroom. It was a hospital room.

"When you finished your shower go to the end of the hall and there you will find the cafeteria. Have a good day."

"Thank you," I said.

"You're welcome," Brenda said, flashing me a quick smile before walking out and closing the door behind her.

I glanced around the room and small smile came to my lips. I put my new clothes onto the bed and stripped from my old, blood and dirt stained clothes, including my shoes. I tossed them into the waste bin and slammed the lid shut.

I placed my locket on the bed and pulled my hair from it's ponytail before walking into the bathroom.

I walked over to the shower and twisted the knobs. The shower turned on and after a moment, I placed my hand under the water to feel if it was warm enough to yet. I smiled. It was hot water!

I stepped into the HOT WATER and smiled again as I closed my eyes and let the water soak my dirty body. I used the mini shampoo, conditioner, and bar of soap to wash myself clean. When I finished I just stood there for a while, letting the hotness of the water sooth me. I missed hot water.

After a few minutes of standing in the hot water, I turned the water off and stepped out. I picked up the towel from the rack and wrapped it around my head to hold my wet hair up them grabbed another towel and began to dry off.

When I was completely dry I walked out of the bathroom back into the room. I let the towel drop to the floor as I began to dress in my new clothing.

I combed my hair with the hairbrush on the sink counter and quickly threw it up into a very messy bun.

I used the deodorant and perfume that they had, both brand new, obviously. I put on my locket and tied my new sneakers. After I was ready I walked out of the room and down the hall like the woman instructed me to do. When I turned the corner I was met with a very large room filled with tables and chairs, people, and food and drinks. I smiled, my stomach growling at the smell of the delicious food.

"Hi I'm Patrick Will," A man greeted me. He was dressed in the same purple scrubs and white coat as the others.

"Hi," I greeted, politely, not wanting to be rude.

"I'm guessing by your wet hair you have just come back from the showers. Now just grab a tray, wait in line, get something to eat then go over to the desk in the corner for your next step," Patrick said.

"Thanks," I said.

"No problem, it's my job," Patrick smiled. He then walked away to help another woman.

I walked over to the stack of trays and picked done up. I stepped into in the wait line, occasionally taking a step forward as someone else got their food. When it was my turn I ended up getting a hamburger and fries with a bottle of water. I thanked the cooks then weaved through the crowd of people to find a seat.

I felt someone tap my shoulder so I turned around. I smiled. "Glenn!" He was holding a tray as well.

"Hey, Maddie," Glenn smiled, pulling me into a one-armed hug.

"Judging by you being here too, you and I both woke up eight days later," Glenn said. "Any sign of anyone from the group yet?"

"Nope. The doctors won't say anything. I tried asking already," I replied.

"Let's go find somewhere to sit," Glenn suggested. I nodded and followed him through the crowd of people. We eventually sat a table that had a lone woman at it. We put our trays down and sat across from her.

"Glenn? Maddie?" A voice asked from behind us.

We both slowly turned around and smiled. Maggie and Beth were standing behind us, each with a tray of food. Glenn stood from his chair and immediately pulled Maggie into a hug, I did the same with Beth, pulling her into a tight hug.

"I can't believe you're here," I said, looking at the two of them as I pulled away Beth.

"Is anyone else with you?" Glenn asked.

"Yeah," Beth said at the same time Maggie said, "Only Daryl and Michonne. They're getting their food."

"Well, well...look who we 'ave 'ere. Good ta see ya two alive an' well," Daryl commented as he and Michonne both now stood with us.

I smiled and flung myself in Daryl's arms, letting him put his tray down first, and hugged him tightly. He chuckled at my excitement to see him and pulled me into his arms. "It's good to see you, Daryl."

I pulled out his embrace and turned to Michonne, who's arm were open and waiting patiently for me to run into. I chuckled and ran into her arms, hugging her tight. Me, her and Carl had a best friends relationship. "I'm so glad you're okay."

"You, too. So where's Carl?" Michonne asked, looking for him as she pulled away.

"I honestly have no idea. Last I seen him was before you guys came back with the medicine back at the prison," I replied. "God I miss him."

Together the six of us sat at a table, ate our food, and talked silently amongst ourselves.

—

 **Thanks for reading,** **KellyDaniels58**


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